Grigoryan Brothers at Ukaria
On Monday 29 March the Year 8 SIM students and the Guitar Ensemble travelled to Ukaria (Mt Barker) to see the Grigoryan Brothers perform songs from their latest album, This Is Us.
The songs on the album were all inspired by their visit to the National Museum of Australia. After rummaging through drawers and boxes “like Indiana Jones”, they composed a series of pieces for two guitars (and a number of other similar stringed instruments). Some of the objects from the museum were brought to Ukaria for the students to view after the concert.
We heard 6 songs:
- Love Token – inspired by a convict’s love token for his brother (Leonard played an 8-string tenor ukulele)
- Hunter’s Edge – inspired by an Aboriginal Kimberley Point, a glass spear tip from north-west Australia
- Đàn Tre – inspired by a twenty-three stringed instrument made by Minh Tam Nguyen in 1976 out of an old olive oil tin and a bamboo tube
- Fred’s Vision – inspired by the collection of trial lenses and frames that belonged to Professor Fred Hollows
- Don’s Bat – inspired by Don Bradman’s cricket bat from the 1934 Ashes series Test Match in Trent Bridge, Nottingham
- Song for the Road – inspired by the Prototype No. 1, the only surviving vehicle of three test Holden sedans built by hand in 1946 (Slava played an electric guitar)
Our students (and staff members) were thoroughly impressed with the technical mastery as well as the incredible musicianship demonstrated by these wonderful artists. We will be inspired for years after witnessing some of the finest musicians in the world play in such a beautiful and intimate setting.
